Carpet-stretcher



J. A. DICE. Garpet stretoher.

No; 225,273. Patented Mar. 9, I880;

2 WMMLLM.

1 N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRA'iHER, WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED STATES p PATENT OFFICE,

JAGOB A. DICE, OF ST. MARYS, PENNSYLVANIA.

CARPET-STRETCHER SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.225,273, dated March 9, 188 0.

Application filed January 14, 1880.

Town whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB A. Dunn, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at St. Marys, in the county of Elk and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGarpet-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear,

and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, and to letters of referencemarked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of carpetstretchers made for familyor domestic use, in which the machine is held in position by means of ahook or pin driven into the floor, and in which a rake or claw is madeto catch the carpet and draw it in position.

The drawing shows a perspective view of my stretcher.

A is the bed-piece, made of hard wood or square bar-shaped metal ofsuitable thickness and length; and B is a ratchet-plate, consisting of aflat piece of the same width of the bedpiece, and made to slide on theupper face of the same, and having upon its face the beveled teeth Atone end of the bedpiece A, I have a lug or lip, E, extending above andbelow the same, and in its lower end I have inserted one or moresteel-wire points or tacks. At the opposite end of the bed-piece A, Ihave two standards, L, extending above and below the bed-piece, and bymeans of connectingbolts form the axles or shafts of the roller G andthe catch-pawl D. Near this end of the bed-piece A, I have twostandards, K, connected by a bolt or pin to form an axle and fulv crumfor the lever (3.

At the upper end of the ratchet-plate B are two lips or flanges, f,meeting below in a crossbar or plate, F, forming a collar around theplate A, and, in connection with the standards L, keeping the rack-platein position on the bed-plate. Cast in the bar or plate F, I have anumber of steel points or tacks, thus converting the same into a rake. I

The lever C has an elongated slot or oval, S, which enables me not only,by raising it, to avoid the teeth of the ratchet, but by means of whichI can take long or short catches or take a second hold, while the pawl Dengages with the ratchet and prevents the plate from moving backward. Imake the working machine about fifteen inches long, with a rake of 5about five inches.

The lug or lip E and standards L and K are made of metal and screwed tothe bed-piece A, or the bed-piece A, lip E, and standards L and K mayall be of metal and cast in one piece, as may also the ratchetplate B,with its ratchet t i, flanges f, and rake F.

To operate my stretcher, throw the lever 0 back, as shown by the dottedlines in the drawing, the weight of which unlocks the pawl D and throwsthe machine out of gear. Slide the ratchet-plate back as far as desired,place the machine down on the floor with the head against the base-boardand the rear end out on the carpet, and with one foot on the machinepress upon and drive the teeth or pins 9 g up to the shoulder, whichhold the machine firmly in position. Catch the carpet by the rake F,raise the lever, engage it with the ratchet, and push the same up to thedesired point, or throw it back and take another hold, and so on tillthe carpet reaches its place, where, by means of the rake, whoserack-plate is engaged by the pawl D, it is held in position for tacking.

My machine has many advantages over and difi'ers from those now in use.It draws the carpet full up to the base-board, and holds it in positionfor tacking, enabling the operator to have both hands free at the sametime, which is not the case in other machines. By means of the roller atthe end of the machine I am enabled to draw the carpet under it andnearer to the base-board than any other machine.

In the rake F the teeth do not reach the floor, but are made just longenough to catch the carpet, and by being formed of steel wire they aresmaller and stronger than other machines that have large teeth, whichinjure the floor.

The lever is slotted, so that long or short purchases may be taken,while the difierent parts of the machine, being firmly secured to eachother,,cannot be mislaid or lost. The machine therefore is always readyfor use. p

The roller G at the end' of my machine is :0 lug E and steel points 9 g,standards K and T1,

and roller Gr, ratchet-plate B, with ratchet i i, and rake F, with steelpoints or teeth h h, lockpawl I), and slotted lever O, substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a carpet-stretcher, the straight slotted lever 0, having but oneengaging-point, combined With the fulcrum and the movable ratchetplateB, by means of which the rake may be moved in long or short stretches,as desired.

3. In a carpet-stretcher, the roller G at its rear end, by means ofwhich the machine is raised from the floor and the carpet allowed topass under it.

JACOB A. DICE.

Witnesses:

W. W. AMEs, J. M. SHAFFER.

